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My Venture into Hifi with Vandersteen Model 1

First off I must truly say how much I love this form and the wealth of information, the members provide. I was lucky to pick up a pair of Vandersteen Model 1 Speakers for a prayer. Lets say they were almost given away. The aesthetics of the speakers are I would have to say about a 9, seems as though they were frozen in time. I do not know much about these particular speakers. My question to the knowledgeable members out there, are these speakers any good and are they worth giving a go! I was planning on using them with my McIntosh MC30 tube amps. I got these from my Step father, he no longer has any use for them and figured I would like them. I guess I will hang on to them for a while and see how the Vandersteen sound with them.

Any input will be well appreciated.

Thanks
dhunte21
bwp
114 posts
 
Definitely do not sell those amps! It is tempting to use the funds to purchase new stuff, just don't do it. If you do, 20 years from now you will be posting to some audio forum how you were given a mint set up MC30 tube monos but you sold them for some trendy amp of the month.
audioconnection
1,270 posts
 
(((Merlin TSMs - they are small monitors, and will not have the bass of the Vandersteen, but they are phenomenal speakers down to about 40Hz))
40 hz yea with 12 DB of wall gain maybe
Pubic 57 why would you confuse him to go to a less efficient merlin minibox when he already has a full range easy tube load 90 db 8 ohm phase and time correct speaker
Vandies are also amazingly good with live recorded music.
zanon
114 posts
 
Pubul57

with respect, i have no idea what you talk about. He bought his speakers for a "prayer" which I assume is low price. He already has amp. Someone who has both speaker AND amp and is asking other people what they sound like instead of just putting them together and seeing himself is crazy. It is like I am man with sight who has picture and asks people who have not seen picture asking other people what it look like.

Adam18 is correct. Play equipment, listen, and learn to trust own ear.

Dhunte21: Personal I would not play 90db sensitive speaker with 30W amp, but then my room is very big. I learn more about speaker by buying "get better sound" by jeff smith and playing with placement than hours spent on this forum listening to armchair audiophile who claim to predict what equiment sound like and what you like without knowing anything about your space and not knowing you. If you wish to develop a brain in this hobby, you need to learn to trust your own ears.

I will say this -- anything below middle C, or if you are more generous, an octave below middle C, is combination of your speaker plus your room. Therefore, you cannot really say what any amp/speaker combo sound like in upper bass on down because it does not take room interaction into account. You have speakers so you can try this yourself and you will hear what I am saying
rrog
1,958 posts
 
Zanon, I have a very big room also and I have played 90db speakers with 14 watts to louder than comfortable levels. It depends on the amp.
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
My Bad, I misread the VS1 impedance data, it does seem it would be easy to drive and should do fine with the MC30; I owned the 3A Sig which I would certainly not drive with the MC30 - so yes, it should work fine in terms of power and especially off a 4ohm tap should have no problem with bass -sorry for causing confusion on that point. I still say the VS1 is a good entry-level speaker and your amps are great and good enough for wherever you choose to take your system in the future - as long as your speakers don't need too much power.
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